The Vacation
by hatakaye
Summary: It's been a while since Kakashi and Sakura have been around one another, but when they both win a luxury vacation they're forced to come back together. Kakashi comes to realize that Sakura is no longer a child, and Sakura notices that there is more to Kakashi than she had originally thought. Kakasaku. M for future lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **

**Finally the first chapter! This story is completely dedicated to Kelzen on tumblr who makes amazing kakasaku art and is just an amazing person in general so please check out her blog! This chapter is pretty much 100% intro, so I'm super sorry about that! This chapter is more so to kinda lay out the story and get people interested too! There's also SUPER slight GenmaxSakura because hey, I need to start the tension from somewhere. I have a lot of free time since it's summer, so hopefully I'll be able to update this story pretty quickly! I also suppose the M rating can apply to language in this chapter if you're sensitive to the "F" word. Lastly, I kind of plan to push this story into 5+ chapters if all goes according to plan! Alright, here it is.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto and all rights belong to Kishimoto.**

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><p>It was rare, but sometimes Tsunade was generous.<p>

Pacing along the linoleum tiles in her office, the blonde tapped her foot in tune with the thrums of her impatience. Of all people she least expected her pink haired apprentice to be late, especially to such an important meeting. Cramped into her small work space happened to be every jounin in the village, all of which had been woken up early that morning for this gathering, some were still visibly half asleep. Tsunade's jaw clenched and relaxed several times before she swore under breath that she was going to make Sakura work over time at the hospital for her unusual tardiness.

Footsteps tapped quickly along the hallway outside the Hokage office before the two large wooden doors were swung open with a force that could only belong to Haruno Sakura. Sweat tickled the skin of the many Konoha jounin who were all squashed into the small room and were thankful for the rush of cold crisp air that accompanied Sakura's entrance.

"Tsunade-sama I'm so sorry I woke up in time but th-" The words poured from her mouth and were immediately converted into a mumble as Sakura was bending so far over that her words simply slammed into the ground.

"Enough, Sakura." Tsunade's sharp tone sliced Sakura's murmurs before the younger kunoichi could finish forming them. Sakura straightened and nodded slowly prior to moving to the side of the room where a large straw basket was boldly labeled "TAKE ONE". Without reaching in, Sakura plucked the first pink ticket she saw off the top of the pile. Knowing Tsunade these were tickets to decide who had to work the night shift at the Konoha prison and there was no way Sakura would try to increase her chance of getting stuck with a ghastly prize like that.

Earlier, every jounin was given a small pink ticket with eight numbers scratched into them, probably by a teenage konohamaru who was often given busy work when missions were slow. Sakura glanced at the fragile paper in her hand before looking around the room to scan the faces of Konoha's elite forces. Many were slouched against the plain beige walls, while others idly chatted about nothing in particular, most likely waiting to be released back into air that wasn't as stale or stagnant.

Sakura was now at the ripe age of 20, but still the youngest amongst the jounin. She had grown her previously shoulder length hair to just below her collar bone only because Ino thought it would look "absolutely fucking adorable". She wasn't wrong about the "adorable" half of the sentence, but her hair, nor any part of her for that matter, has yet to induce any sort of "fucking" in over a year. Hospital shifts, missions, and catching up with her teammates had more or less taken control of her life and it seemed they've decided sex wasn't important.

Sakura outwardly sighed at her loss, her green eyes wandering up just in time to see her master lean her hip against the corner of her large polished desk and raise a manicured hand to pinch the bridge of her slim nose. It was Tsunade's automatic response to aggravation.

"You are all obviously wondering why you've been gathered here this morning, and I'll answer that once, do not make me repeat it." The blonde hokage shifted slightly and motioned Shizune, who was holding a basket similar to the one against the wall, to step closer. "You all fought bravely in Konoha's honor during the recent war, and that does not go unnoticed. In return, I wish to reward all of your efforts with a vacation." The entire room began to cheer and smile, white teeth almost seemed to increase the dim lighting some. Sakura let out her own "Shannaro" in accordance with the announcement.

"But sadly, I cannot let all of you off at once. The reason why should be obvious to all of you. Though the war is over, we are never completely safe, so I need security to be strengthened and everyone to be on their guards until I say so." Tsunade raised her muscled arm and let her hand fall into the straw basket. The small pink slips of paper tickled her fingers as she turned her wrist in a circular motion, mixing all of the papers equally. Her grasp finally settled on one, but her hand remained submerged in the basket. "The vacation time will be taken in two man teams, for a week's time, each pair gets to enjoy their time off however they please, though for the first two selected I have the special reward of a planned vacation located at a lavish resort in Suna. Be sure to thank the Kazekage when you see him, it is because of him you all even have this opportunity." A small noise in agreement and appreciation passed throughout the room. Gaara had become widely loved not only by his own village, but Konoha as well.

"Now, to decide the two shinobi who are chosen for this vacation, it is fair they are randomly drawn from a pool to eliminate any bias or unfair advantages. You all have pink tickets in your hands with eight numbers written on them. Two tickets belonging to two jounin in this room will have the same numbers on their tickets as the one I am about to pull out. Those who possess the matching numbers win the vacation. Easy enough?" Once again Tsunade's hand began to move, but this time vertically, slowly ascending from the sea of pink. As her hand finally immerged with its captive, the slip was held only inches before her face. Her eyes skimmed over the numbers, carefully reading each digit in her head, making sure when she spoke them aloud she would not make a single mistake. Her tongue slowly poked out from her mouth to wet her bottom lip, a bad habit she'd picked up from Shizune. She had failed to notice that the room had fallen silent in anticipation.

"Alright, everyone look at your tickets. The numbers are **03280915**! If you have the winning nu-" Before she could finish a whooping "HELL YEAH" filled the small room and a slender hand shot into the air amidst the sea of bodies. It was already obvious who the voice belonged to before a head of bubble gum pink hair managed to break through the human wall piled before Tsunade. When Sakura finally stood before her, the smile on her face stretched ear to ear, only lessening when Sakura to bit her lip nervously, realizing she had just yelled out in front of so many people. _Shit._

The office erupted in angry sighs and the single question of "who has the other ticket?!", though no one seemed to be stepping forward. Sakura turned to face the other jounin in the room, curious to see if she could possibly locate the person with the match. Maybe they were planning to step forward after the meeting? Her eyes finally landed on Genma who held her gaze as his tongue slowly traced the outer edge of his senbon before traveling across his lower lip, leaving a moist trail in its path. One of his lids slowly closed in a wink before he turned to talk with Aoba, leaving Sakura to gape at the back of his head. Just what was that? The heat in her stomach ached in a longing for something she hadn't been able to have in a while. Was it worth the risk?

The hand on Genma's shoulder didn't startle him because he expected it, but it did startle Sakura. It seems she had moved on her own._ What the hell am I doing? I don't even know what to say? What do I even want?_ The smirk the man sent her caused Sakura to quickly remove her hand from the green jounin vest and wipe her sweaty palm on her medic skirt. He was facing her now and she could only stare at his mouth, hoping maybe she would get to see him do something with it to give her a little extra motivation. His mouth remained in a tilted smile while Sakura's opened hers to speak, but she was surprised that the voice that filled her ears was not her own.

"HE'S GOT IT! HE HAS THE OTHER TICKET!" a frantic voice yelled. The crowd parted in time for the man in question to step forward and hand Tsunade his ticket with a lazy shrug, his hands stuffing into the pockets of his dark blue pants.

"Ah, sorry about that, I wasn't really looking at my ticket when the numbers were called." The man had a drawl to his deep voice that made it sound like he had places to be and this meeting wasn't one of them.

"Fine. Everyone, you're excused. Winners, stay." As soon has Tsunade's order was barked, the room began to empty, leaving the winners to shift their weight awkwardly and avoid making eye contact with each other. Sakura's green orbs slowly drifted down the man's figure as she pretended to be staring at a bird circling outside the window. He was the same after all these years.

"Alright! Sakura and Kakashi, you depart from Konoha in two days and will travel to Suna. From there, you will be directed to the resort by Sunagakure shinobi. Pack lightly since it's hot in Suna this time of year, it will also make your trip to and from the village quicker. Lastly, have fun."

"Yes ma'am" both voices answered without pause. After receiving directions Kakashi turned and made his way towards the door, leaving Sakura stumble after him. Is this how it was going to be? After three years of almost no contact? She wouldn't stand for it.

"Kakashi-sensei! Hey!" their footsteps now clicked along the dim hall as a single rhythm. "You can't say hello? Are you mad or something?"

"I'm not mad, Sakura. My mind was just elsewhere, I'm sorry." As his feet connected with the yellow dirt outside the hokage tower, he lifted a gloved hair to ruffle her pink locks. Old habits die hard it seemed. "I'm going the other direction, so I'll see you in two days, okay? Bye Sakura."

She could only stare and touch her head lightly, where the weight of his hand had been, as Kakashi was enveloped in a cloud of smoke before disappearing.

"Why did things always happen this way?" the kunoichi sighed. She might as well go home and begin to prepare for her departure since it seemed this was becoming less and less of a vacation but rather a job.

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"Switch with me. Let me go on the vacation instead." Genma had to yell to project his voice across the table for the copy nin to hear him. The bar was far too noisy to hear anything below a scream. The light swinging above their booth carried a red hue, and it did nothing to help Kakashi's complexion. If he was being honest, he hated this bar but the only reason he ever gave the shit hole business was because Asuma's brother owned it, so it was the least he could do. He also never invited Genma, but somehow they always ended up like this. Kakashi hunched over a beer long warm and Genma across from him talking about something that only seemed important to Genma himself. Kakashi wanted to leave.

"Oh? You want to go to the resort? Why should I switch, don't I deserve a nice vacation?" Kakashi became increasingly sarcastic as the night progressed. Luckily, Genma was never fazed.

"Well, since you're obviously so interested, I'm trying to bag Sakura Haruno, and this would be the perfect opportunity. She's totally into me I can tell, I mean just one look had her walking over. So switch with me. I'll pick up the tab on drinks for the next year if you do. Deal?" the brunette seemed certain he had the vacation in his possession, along with Sakura. Kakashi really couldn't care about the vacation but something about this situation rubbed him the wrong way.

"Sorry but no" was his only response. He had seen the events unfold in the cramped office between his ex-student and his friend. He watched, from across the room, the way Genma stared at Sakura, almost as if he was famished and hadn't filled his belly in weeks. In his eyes shone a hunger there that was primal, and unfortunately Kakashi understood. On the other side of the room he watched as Sakura looked on, fascinated by Genma's exaggerated motions. Kakashi watched as she held her breath the entire time and when her eye brows pinched together in a way that made her face look needy, his mouth dried. Where had he been when she had grown up? When her face had slimmed and her body had changed into something entirely _woman. _Where had he been when her curves caused his hands to itch and her eyes had become sharp and observant. Where had he been when the red Anbu marking had been etched into her flawless skin. By the time Kakashi glanced at his ticket, his heart stopped.

The grip on his glass tightened, causing the glass bottle to shake slightly. He had no right to feel this way. Not only had he robbed her of attention as his student, but he had neglected to help Sakura grow the abilities she only needed to learn to unlock. He had betrayed her as a teacher and he was now probably betraying god noticing how her legs were smooth and toned and rippled slightly as she walked. It was not only wrong to see her this way because of her ex-student status but also because she was fourteen years younger than him. And around 17 years for Genma.

"C'mon Kakashi! Help me out this one time!" Genma was leaning over the table now, and Kakashi could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"No." He had not given up on protecting Sakura just yet.

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That night when he stripped himself of everything but his dark gray boxer briefs and lay flat on his bed, he could swear his impending vacation was a curse rather than a gift. How was he going to deal with Sakura and the awkwardness that often accompanied being around her as of late? Maybe he should have switched with Genma.

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><p><strong>AN: Please be so kind to review and criticism is more than welcome and highly appreciated because it will not only help me as a writer but make the story more enjoyable for you to read! Go go go go and review! Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

**OKAY wow this is taking me longer to write than I thought! I'm sorry this took so long it's just some days I can't write and I've been super busy lately! I'm going on vacation in about...five hours.. so I wanted to get this out before I went so hopefully I can write on the way down and get this next chapter out sooner! This chapter was...idk...but next chapter they'll be arriving in Suna because tbh I hate writing traveling scenes and I just wanna get to the good stuff so I hope you guys agree! Lastly, please excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes because like I said I leave for vacation in five hours so I really don't have to time to edit this! This is still dedicated to kelzen on tumblr and I love her!**

**I do not own Naruto and all rights belong to Kishimoto **

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><p>He was late, as always. That never seemed to change.<p>

Tired of waiting for the copy-nin, Sakura placed her canvas backpack on the ground beside her and squatted next to it. Before she found out Kakashi was her partner for this vacation she was actually excited to go. Now, she was more hesitant than anything. Why had he acted so cold? Tracing her memories, she tried to think of a single instance where she may have upset him and quickly came up empty handed. Since the war, Sakura seemed to only run into Kakashi when handing in mission reports to Tsunade, or in Jounin meetings. Never did they exchange more than a nod. Why? When had they become distant? Nothing seemed to add up. Kakashi dropped off the radar after the war and if Sakura recalled correctly, only took S-rank missions requested by other villages.

Though she didn't have room to talk. As Sakura watched Naruto and Sasuke reach god-like statuses, she knew that they were in a completely different league, so she decided to push herself out of her comfort zone. She immediately requested to join Anbu and Tsunade held no qualms, writing her appetence's name on the roster the next day. Training had been difficult, grueling even, to the point of not only physical but mental exhaustion. She was worked until she no longer held value to her name, to her face, to her body. Sleep no longer rid of her fatigue and she had come to assume every day was her last. At first the murder had bothered her, she was used to saving lives not taking them, but with time it had become a mindless form of release. To kill was to survive.

Sakura couldn't escape Kakashi even in Anbu, where he was regarded as legend. Hatake Kakashi's records were bellowed into the trainee's ears and he was a common role model for most members.

"You're Haruno Sakura, right?" the voice belonged to a young man, no older than 22, and the look on his eyes made Sakura want to gouge the orbs out of his head. She was getting tired of this.

"Yeah." She quipped over her shoulder.

"Well, Kakashi-senpai was your sensei right? What was he like? Do you think you could introduce me to him?"

"I'm busy." Sakura returned as she turned on her heel and strode out of the room and straight to the training grounds. Her fist collided with the first tree without reserve which caused it to immediately bend in half, taking down three others in its wake. When would she be recognized on her own accord? When will she finally stop living in her teammate's shadows? When w-

"Oi! Sakura!" Her daydream was broken by the sound of a smooth voice a few yards away. Before she was able to wave, Sakura realized her hands had been clamped so tightly into fists that she had to wiggle her fingers around before she could move them without any remaining stiffness.

"Hey Genma, what're you doing here? Isn't it early for someone like you to be up?"

"Ouch, what's that supposed to mean?" the man jogged through the remaining distance separating him from the kunoichi and as he stood in front of her his smile was playful and bright, it's contagiousness immediately spread to Sakura as she couldn't help but laugh along with him. Genma used the pads of his thumb and pointer finger to pinch his senbon and move it to the other side of his mouth; it was something he often did when he was nervous. Luckily Sakura didn't know that. "I'm just coming to see you off, since I figured Kakashi would be late, you could use some company. I also wanted to see if you'd like to go on a date with me when you get back?" The last sentence was spoken so casually along with the previous one that Sakura had almost missed it. A date? With Genma? This is what she wanted right?

"Gen-"

"Yo." Behind Sakura the bushes rustled as Kakashi easily pushed through the tangle of leaves and branches, disregarding the time and effort it probably took to prune them. He was dressed in his usual jounin attire, and wore the standard issue canvas backpack identical to Sakura's.

He'd been watching them again and this time he didn't feel half as guilty about it. Kakashi watched as Genma left his apartment bright and early to meet Sakura at the gates, and the three other women he stopped to flirt with on the way. When he heard Genma ask Sakura on a date, while he eavesdropped from the bushes, Kakashi choked. His eyes burned into the back of Sakura's head as she hesitated to answer and when he knew she was going to agree to Genma's proposal Kakashi's body moved forward on its own and the only thing he could make his mouth say was "yo", because he couldn't hear his thoughts over the sound of his heart pounding in his ears. As Kakashi stood before the two his mind raced and he was far too light headed to try to keep up with it.

"Kakashi you're late as always! We were supposed to leave twenty minutes ago!" Sakura stomped back over to her backpack and slung it over her arms and securely onto her back. "Sorry Genma, I'll see you later, okay?" She could tell he wasn't happy, but hopefully the sweet smile she flashed him could soften whatever blow had just been dealt.

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When Kakashi's sandal collided with the 565th tree branch of the day he'd had enough of the silence hanging between them. Indeed he had been trying to space himself from her, but he didn't like the notion of Sakura purposely avoiding him. The thought was selfish, he knew it, but some part of him found it extremely unsettling when the tables were turned.

In about two days they would reach Suna and that gave Sakura more than enough time to drag out this awkward silence with Kakashi for all that it was worth. It was true she was silencing herself around him in revenge of his shortness with her the other day and it seemed childish but she couldn't help but lay awake in bed that night trying to think of ways to apologize for something she didn't do.

As darkness surrounded the two ninja, Sakura paused on a branch a few trees ahead of Kakashi. As her eyes met his she knew he was going to suggest the same thing.

"Here is good." Kakashi's voice quickly faded as he jumped down from his perch and landed on the grassy patch below them. The small clearing was surrounded by a thick layer of trees and the grass was only slightly over grown, a perfect place to camp safetly for the night. Sakura landed a few paces behind him and quickly began to unpack her sleeping bag, rolling it out and climbing in after she removed her boots. Though they weren't verbally communicating, she knew Kakashi would insist on taking the first watch just like he always used to do. The pink haired kunoichi knew she was right when Kakashi sat cross legged under a nearby tree, allowing his eyes to lazily scan around the clearing, hiding a yawn behind his palm as he did so. He would wake her in a few hours to switch roles, so Sakura closed her eyes and allowed her sore body to settle and allowed her breathing to even out. She was asleep within two minutes.

Kakashi's eyes managed to linger on the trees surrounding the small clearing until Sakura fell asleep. Once the pinkette's breathing evened out and her body stilled, the copy nin's single eye settled on her face. It was hours Kakashi sat like that, staring at Sakura's face with a blank mind. Every once in a while his heart flutter and his fingers would itch and it was only until her smell of sweet pea had blinded his sensitive nose that he noticed that he was sitting beside her, knees rustling the edge of her sleeping bag. His mind screeched at him to move, get away, flee to a safe distance, but his body stayed frozen, as if he was under Sakura's spell and there was a part of him that was content with that. How did he feel towards Sakura? He'd only talked to her for the first time in years two days ago, so he doubted his current state was the result of anything more than confusion. Even still, he couldn't deny he felt as if he wanted to get to know Sakura more, know what exactly happened during the three year span he spent absent from her life. He wanted to know the story on how the hell she ended up in Anbu. He had no doubt that was why the innocent sparkle had been swiftly stolen from Sakura's eye, and replaced with the same unforgiving edge his eyes carried.

Kakashi's body loomed above Sakura's as his hand slowly left his side and stroked her pink hair.

"Sakura…" the word was carried from his mouth on a quiet breath, allowing the word to remain almost inaudible. What had not changed had been his impulse to protect this girl. He always knew Naruto and Sasuke would evolve into something incredible, with or without his help. But to him, Sakura was something that needed to be nurtured and protected and he hated himself for not being able to do that for her. It was something that he regretted and often pushed it out of his mind whenever it came up. Kakashi's fingertips traced the purple seal on Sakura's forehead and he smiled. It was a reminder that even though he had failed to watch over her, she had found success along the way and had truly become a legendary kunoichi. The pads of his fingers now tickled over the bridge of her nose and down the slopes of her cheeks and when they arrived at her lips he caught himself wetting his own, his body seemed to be slightly rocking. Kakashi looked on from what seemed like another person's point of view as his thumb brushed over Sakura's bottom lip, and then moved to the circle her top. He could feel his stomach clench when his fingers glided down her neck, her skin was flawless there and all he could imagine was how sweet it would taste and how he wanted nothing more than to mark it. Maybe he could…

"K-Kakashi?" the voice belonged to a sleepy Sakura, who was currently watching as Kakashi's thumb rubbed circles over her collar bone. He had been caught and it would be foolish for him to pretend like he hadn't been. Withdrawing his hand, Kakashi sighed and stood from his cross legged position.

"It's your turn to keep watch. I'm going to try an-"

"Don't. Don't even try and brush me off again. It's not fair…" The sleeping bag made a loud ruffling sound as Sakura sat up and crawled forward so she was able to catch Kakashi's wrist as he walked away.

Kakashi's heart ached and he couldn't help but cave under the tight grasp on his wrist. His head turned and faced her and a crinkle formed at the corner of his eyes as he gave her a reassuring smile. He wanted to lie and say everything was fine, just like that day on the roof of the hospital when she was so young and he had just stopped Naruto and Sasuke from not only killing each other but her as well. Maybe it was because of that Kakashi couldn't lie.

"Okay." His voice was calm now, but its whispered tone was reassuring enough that Sakura released his wrist, her fingers lingering a second too long. His dark olive green sleeping bag was quickly rolled out beside hers and he folded his long body into it. Sakura caught herself staring, but her eyes stayed on his figure, she wasn't a young girl who was going to be ashamed of looking at men, even if that man was her ex-sensei.

Silence fell between the two and Sakura couldn't lie to say it wasn't awkward. Why did she care so much about Kakashi brushing her off? Over the past few years she hardly even gave him a thought, and when she did it was usually forced upon her by a third party. At the same time she had always looked up to Kakashi and relied on his protection, especially when she was younger. Naruto and Sasuke would be busy taking the brunt of missions while Sakura somehow always ended up singled out as an easy target, and every time Kakashi had appeared and saved her from the enemy. His protection gave her a feeling of comfort she only also felt in Naruto; it was a feeling of complete trust.

"Tell me why you joined Anbu" it was not a question but rather a command, though Kakashi's tone betrayed him for something soft and pleading.

"I…I joined to test myself I guess. To see if I was something other than useless or a tag along of team seven. I joined to help establish a name for myself and to also further the one I had going for me as a medic, and I did. It wasn't easy, as you know, anbu is tough. I've killed hundreds of men and women because I was simply told to do so, sometimes thinking about it confuses me but mostly I ignore it. Anbu became my release, my home." Kakashi was now watching Sakura intently, his eyes never flicking away from hers once, and she knew it was to detect any lies. Sakura told none.

"You were taken out of rotation." It was another statement with an underlying command of an explanation.

"Yeah…I was…a friend of mine…I killed him. He was in anbu too and I'd become so…cold…I couldn't tell who was who anymore. Killing felt good and blood was warm, that's all I knew. During a mission Akihiro slipped up and got in the way…by the time I noticed he was trapped in my jutsu it was too late…" the story no longer disturbed her as much as it used to, and she was able to tell it while keeping eye contact. Any amazing feat compared to her previous panic attacks. "He really looked up to you, you know. Akihiro was always trying to beat your records and his dream was to meet you. That's probably why he always stayed so close to me…because of you."

Kakashi wished he could feel guilty for what happened, but he simply couldn't. The boy hung around Sakura, his ex-student, because of him, and was later killed by her for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was his fault, but he couldn't bring himself to feel bad. He felt sick in the head. There must be something wrong with him. Kakashi's heart did go out to Sakura though, since he could truly understand the feeling of killing someone you cared about. He understood the sadness of killing a team mate. It was suddenly apparent that he and Sakura were no longer so different, each were hardened by loss, but motivated to move on every day by the ones that continue to support them. Kakashi reached out his hand and covered Sakura's own with it, rubbing his thumb gently over her knuckles. He didn't dare speak, for this silence was no longer awkward, but comfortable and filled with understanding.

Kakashi quickly fell asleep, his body relaxing in his current position. He didn't notice when Sakura's slim fingers slowly intertwined with his large rough ones.

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><p><strong>AN: thanks to everyone who reviewed last time! But of course, like every chapter, I'm going to urge you guys to REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! GO GO GO ! Please and thanks! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **

**Wow chapter 3 was full of mental blocks and about 0 motivation until these last two days, which is when I pretty much wrote all of this chapter. It's kind of all over the place because I had to get them to Suna and as I said last chapter I hate writing travel scenes! I apologize for any spelling mistakes because it's 3am and I read over this once and corrected anything I caught but anything else is going to be left as an embarrassment. **

**disclaimer: all rights belong to kishimoto**

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><p>The next morning when Kakashi finally awoke, Sakura was packing her belongings into her backpack, slinging the canvas bag over her shoulder when she was finished.<p>

"Morning! I figured we'd best get a move on if we want to make it to Suna by tomorrow." Though Sakura appeared awake, her voice held a husky layer which typically signaled tiredness or sleep deprivation. Her movements were sluggish and even as she leaned over Kakashi to kick him awake, he could see the shadows beneath her eyes. He wanted to tell her to go back to sleep but he knew that would not only waste their time, but also cross a line of authority he had not held over her in years.

The copy-nin gave a sheepish grin and covered his eyes with the crook of his elbow before following Sakura's example of packing his belongings into his canvas backpack. It was about time they got going.

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Traveling was always boring since it was a simple repetition of a few motions such as jump, land, jump and so forth, but Sakura was occupied enough with her thoughts. Her relationship with Kakashi had changed so much in one night, and surprisingly, it felt normal, as if it was meant to be this way. They didn't talk as they traveled, but it seemed they were still communicating. She wasn't saying they were telepathic, but she seemed to understand when he jumped a few branches ahead of her, he wanted her to speed up. Or when he chose the branches beneath her, he suspected they were not alone. The quietness between them was no longer awkward but comfortable and friendly. Sakura caught herself staring at former sensei more than a few times and could only question what this feeling in her stomach meant. Not only was it desire but it was the feeling of…affection? Respect? She felt the need to be close to Kakashi, to learn his habits all over again and become someone he could lean on. The kunoichi knew the feeling of loneliness and grief, and she wanted to comfort Kakashi's sorrows no matter how deep they went.

When they camped that night Sakura placed her sleeping bag next to Kakashi as he hunched over their fire to keep warm, holding his palms out for the heat to lap at. As the previous night, he would keep watch first and wake Sakura in a few hours to switch roles. She never minded being woken up and he was grateful there was no sleepy wrath to face at 2:30 am.

The white haired ninja sat cross-legged on the end of his sleeping bag, one hand holding "icha icha pooltime" and the other idly rubbing the back of his neck. The way he looked so at peace and distracted, Sakura couldn't help but cave into the feelings that washed through her. Without realizing it she had quickly become infatuated with the idea of becoming close to her ex-sensei. She wanted more than anything for him to not only trust her, but seek out her company for support. Sakura silently wiggled from her sleeping bag, stood, and slid the bag so it was now perpendicular to Kakashi's. She ignored his questioning look as she slid back into the folds of her sleeping bag, though she bypassed the built in pillow for Kakashi's lap. Just as she suspected, he was warm.

"It's alright." Her voice was hushed and moments after the words were spoken, his tense body relaxed only slightly. It was true she had taken him by surprise when she moved her sleeping bag, but he would have never expected this. He would have also never expected his heart would threaten to break his ribs as her head rested on his thigh and as her soft pink hair cascaded into his lap. It was a slow movement but the hand which was previously rubbing Kakashi's stiff neck found its way into Sakura's locks, using its fingers as a comb and slowly brushing the short strands from scalp to ends and repeating. He wanted to weep when Sakura purred in response. He was going insane.

"Kakashi…I want you to know that you can trust me…I-I know what happened in your past and I understand it's hard to move forward from that, but if you ever need somebody, I'm here okay? You don't need to be alone anymore…" he nodded in response and the fingers in her hair never stopped combing.

"After the war was over…and I saw Obito again…I felt crazy…I felt like nothing made sense and this world wasn't right for me anymore." Suddenly Sakura pieced his odd behavior together over the last three years. His isolation and all the S-rank missions.

"You were trying to kill yourself, or at least hoping someone would eventually kill you along the way." Kakashi's eyes shifted to the ground beside his leg and he winced at Sakura's soft voice. It was the pity that soaked her words which made him feel guilty.

"Yeah."

His hand stopped combing because Sakura's pulled it from her hair to hold between her own. Her lids were closed over her eyes and Kakashi couldn't help but think how sweet she looked like that. It was if she could take away all evil in this world. Or at least erase his own demons.

"Well you're here now…so please…stay with me, okay?" If Sakura's eyes would have been open she would have clearly seen Kakashi's widen for a split second before a small smile played under his mask.

"Okay."

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Suna had only changed slightly since Sakura had last seen it and the changes were subtle enough that if she was asked, she couldn't name them outright. Kakashi on the other hand noticed no difference as he aimlessly followed Termari through the sandy streets. To their surprise, Gaara and his siblings met them at Suna's entrance to welcome them in open arms.

"Sakura…Kakashi…I know the formality of this greeting is awful, but how is Naruto?" If it were anyone else, the two would have been offended by the Kazekage's concern for someone other than his guests, but the leaf shinobi knew how important Naruto was to the red haired man.

"He's fine!"

"He's fine." they chimed and to their relief Gaara smiled and began his speech on the hotel they would be staying, including its accommodations. Though Kakashi hardly paid attention to anything besides the frequent glances Kankuro was giving Sakura and her backside. It seemed someone had a crush on the pink haired kunoichi and it wasn't just Kakashi. Wait. What? The copy-ninja almost toppled over as the thoughts passed through his head. Perhaps this infatuation had manifested into something other than a passing thought and it was time Kakashi forced himself to come to terms with his emotions. No longer did he only want to protect Sakura from danger, but from other's longing stares and lustful eyes. He couldn't stand the thought of another man running his fingers through her hair or receiving the words she said to him the night prior, even if Sakura's intent was comfort. His dreams were filled with the scent of sweet pea and he decided it was becoming his favorite smell, just like staring at her legs was becoming his favorite pass time.

Kakashi accepted how he felt towards Sakura, but he still couldn't extinguish the burning in his gut which accompanied thoughts of romancing his former student. He knew realistically there was nothing wrong with it, she was an adult and no longer his student, but something in him was yelling that this was wrong on quite a few levels.

"Perhaps it's the age difference?" he thought the words were almost silent but the group turned to stare at the man who had not spoken more than two words since their arrival, surprised expressions played in their eyes while Kakashi's latched onto Sakura's, silently conveying a message of help.

"Ah well, thank you for walking us to the hotel! It's truly beautiful here and we can't thank you enough, especially on Lady Tsunade's behalf, for this wonderful opportunity." Sakura averted the group's attention back to herself and she watched as her ex-sensei visibly sighed in relief. "_Jeez…that was a close one" _the voice in her head relayed.

"It's really no problem. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you need anything at all." the Kazekage watched the two leaf shinobi with an eye of admiration and he couldn't help but smile as the groups bid their farewells.

The hotel was the same color as the rest of the buildings in Suna, a Persian orange which came from the sand the buildings were created from, but as the two stepped inside its walls, they couldn't have been more surprised at what they saw. The hotel was lavish with marble floors and granite countertops and Kakashi recalled that the Tsuchikage gifted large amounts of the stones to the Kazekage himself; apparently this is what Gaara had chosen to do with them. A fountain sat in the middle of the room and a chandelier hung directly above it, causing the water to carry flecks of golden shimmers from its light. As the two approached the desk labeled "check in" a woman with short black hair and fiery orange eyes smiled back at them. Her name tag read "Kyou" and her iridescent eyes hovered on Kakashi only for a second before fixating on Sakura, noticing she was about to speak.

"Hello, um, we're here to check in. I believe we should be under the Hokage's reservation."

"Ah yes, we've been expecting you! Let's see, Let's see…" Kyou trailed a black chipped nail down a long list of what seemed to be reservations. Some were highlighted and others had a thin line through them. Kyou tapped her finger twice on the paper and quickly opened a drawer to remove two keys. Placing them on the countertop she also slid what seemed to be a contract and two pens in Sakura's direction.

"All you, well actually both of you, need to do is sign here aaaaannndddd here," the same chipped nail tapped two blank lines on the white paper. "then you're good to go! I'll explain what your package includes after I file your paperwork."

Silently Sakura and Kakashi scribbled their signatures onto the designated lines. Sakura's contained a small flower made from the "O" in her last name, while Kakashi's ended with a messy paw print. They waited for Kyou to file the paper and only listened as she began, clapping her hands together and smiling.

"Okay, so! Your package includes full room service, free of charge, access to our indoor pool from 7am to 11pm, and access to our dining hall for free as well." The ravanette paused for a moment to make sure her guests were able to grasp what she had said. She was known to talk exceptionally fast.

"Your room has a private bathroom, which includes a toilet, sink, and luxury tub. A small living area, one bed, a small fridge and of course a coffee pot! There's a dining table located in a small alcove under the window beside your bed which can be used for dining purposes! Laundry is done daily by our cleaning crew as well as housekeeping! If you have any problems, the front desk here is open until 5pm! Please enjoy your stay!" Sadly Kyou's peppy voice and sweet smile was in vain, for Kakashi and Sakura both were stuck on a single detail Kyou tried her best to sneak into the mix. Her eyes nervously stared into two agape mouths and hallowed eyes.

"ONE BED?!" the combination of both voices was loud enough for other customers to turn and stare. Kyou only continued to smile as she tidied up her desk space.

"I'm sorry to trouble you Kyou, but we'll need to request a different room if that isn't a problem. We weren't aware that our room only included one bed and we would just like to be as comfortable as possible, you see." Over Sakura's shoulder Kakashi nodded at her every word, as if she was famous and he was part of her entourage. To their surprise the only answer they received was a large plastic sign that read "CLOSED" slammed on the counter in front of them. The women behind the counter no longer had a sweet look on her face, but one twisted with disgust and a coy smile.

"Desk is closed at 5, sorry suckers you'll have to deal with it. Honestly what's the big deal. My shift is over. I'm outta here." A hunch now graced her figure as she stomped into a room that read "staff only" above its door.

"WHY YOU! SHANN-"Luckily Kakashi was able to stop the fist that was about to collide with the pretty granite counter by swiftly catching the kunoichi's slim wrist. The look of anger she shot him only received a smile in return, it was best not to agitate her when she was angry.

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"If it's a problem I'll sleep on the floor I really don't mind. My bed at home isn't much different from a rock s-"

"No it's fine. We can share the bed. We used to share your sleeping bag when I was younger all the time remember? Naruto would always manage to squirm into Sasuke's on cold nights so you would offer me yours. Now I'm offering you the bed. It's really no different, right?" It was true, he thought, except it wasn't the same anymore. When she was young he was her guardian, and offering her a small space in his bag was innocent. It was a form of protection. Now sleeping in the same bed was probably the farthest thing from protection Kakashi could offer. He turned to rebuttal but instead was greeted with the image of Sakura's bare back. In the time he spent reminiscing, she had managed to exchange her usual red top for a long baby blue t-shirt that read "trust me, I'm a doctor" across the bust in a comical font, but not only that, but she had forgone her bra and shorts, the long shirt scraping the tops of her knees. She would be lying if said she wasn't hoping for a reaction from the silver haired man and by the looks of it, she got one. Kakashi's jaw clenched several times before he suddenly rounded the bed to Sakura's side. He continued to walk in her direction until she had no choice but to mirror his forward steps with backwards ones of her own, finally her back pressed against the wall beside the nightstand. She was caged in by two arms and a masked face that was dangerously close to hers. She couldn't help but tilt her head and smile at the man who seemed so angry. Her tongue emerged from her mouth to smooth over her top lip, before returning to her mouth to make a single clucking sound. She was purposely pushing his buttons since it was about time she confronted this winding desire which lodged itself in her gut. Though she was his ex-student, she was still a woman and to her there needed to be no other explanation.

"I don't know how wise that is, Sakura." The voice in his head was screaming in protest of his every move, but he continued on until she was trapped. He hated the look in her eyes, as if there was nothing wrong with him doing this. He wanted to scold her for making him feel okay with the idea of sleeping with her when he wanted to feel guilty for something so normal. She made him feel hope. She made him feel as if it was alright to pool his mask around his neck and reach a hand into her hair. Even as his hungry eyes burned into hers, he saw no protest but an eagerness, as if she was saying "C'mon, do it, there's nothing wrong." When her eyes darted around his face, taking in something she had long sought to see, he only watched as her flicked to his eyes before settling on his mouth. His heart stopped when her pink lips gently pat against his pale ones. She hadn't even taken a breath before Kakashi's lips crashed against her own.

The kiss wasn't gentle, as she would have expected from a teacher. It was not only rough but skilled and as she leaned into him now, one of his hands left the wall to squeeze at her hip, his thumb rubbing a slow circle over the bone. When he nipped at her lower lip, the noise that came from Sakura had him seeing stars and the only thing he could do was mirror it with one of his own. It was sad, really. He had slept with a few women in his life time, all mostly quick exchanges where she made all the noise and he silently pounded away until he was more or less satisfied. Yet here he was. Succumbing to simply the noises Sakura made. He was sure she would drive him insane if he wasn't already. His tongue trailed across her upper lip, as if asking for entrance and she happily obliged, meeting it with her own and she was happy to realize he tasted sweet with a layer of cinnamon. When his tongue slid against her own she let out another moan before trailing her hands up over his shoulders and down his arms. Sakura's mouth skipped from his own to his cheek, and then his neck and when she quickly removed his vest and blue long sleeved shirt, her mouth immediately rained kisses over his collar bone and broad shoulders, nipping at his smooth skin frequently because the groans he gave in response were making her mad. She leaned back against the wall, pulling his weight with her own, causing Kakashi's muscular body to press into Sakura's, he didn't feel how close they actually were until Sakura's hips began to move against his own. He wanted to take her there against this wall more than he ever wanted anything in his life but he knew he couldn't. He knew this had to stop before they both regretted it. Sakura deserved so much more than him. She deserved someone who could make love to her in a bed instead of fucking her against a wall. She deserved someone who wasn't fourteen years her senior and practically waiting for death to show up at his door. Sakura was not simply pretty but the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and she deserved the world. She deserved all of the wonderful things he couldn't give her, so when he suddenly stopped and pulled his mouth from hers, why did it feel like he was dying?

"That was a mistake, I'm sorry Sakura. I should have never done that. I'm going to go for a walk." The look in her eyes made his heart feel like a blade had sliced through it, twisting and wiggling around once it had been shoved all the way through. He didn't slam the door when he closed it, but he didn't hesitate to lean his head against its cool wooden outside, his hitai-ate tapping against the room number.

When he returned later that night, Sakura was already asleep. He tossed around the idea of sleeping on the floor but he feared he was too drunk to safety lay down without hitting his head on something, so he tried his best to flatten himself on top of the covers without moving the bed too much.

He didn't notice the shattered lamp in the garbage can or the band aids across Sakura's knuckles.

That night they never drifted into the other's side of the bed. Sakura dreamt of cinnamon while Kakashi dreamt of sweet pea. The smell was getting stronger.

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><p><strong>AN: Cool! As always, here I am to bother you to please leave a review! It not only helps me as a writer but will ultimately help you as a reader! GO GO GO !**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:

I'm really sorry for taking forever to update this story, I've just been really busy since the last update, seeing as I've started college and have had to deal with getting adjusted and all that. To be blunt, I don't really like this chapter. It's definitely not my best and I wrote it probably a month ago pretty late at night out of the guilt of not updating this story. I've had a little more time to write lately so hopefully I'll be back to updating this story. Though most of the story was on the fly, I did manage to sneak some actual plot in there, which hopefully you'll be able to identify. I also kind of ended this at a weird spot but I really didn't want to keep writing on this idea and move the plot along. Anyway, I hope you at least kind of enjoy this chapter and are at least a little reassured of this story's longevity.

The next day, or rather late afternoon because he slept straight through the day, Kakashi was awoken by a shifting of the bed and a quiet knock on the hotel door. As much as he didn't want to crack his eye open and face the woman next to him, he decided pretending to be asleep would be pointless as it would get him nowhere. It wouldn't erase the situation nor would it make it any better.

To his surprise, Kakashi was met with the image of Sakura's back, covered by a solid black dress which clung to her mid-thigh. Her pink locks were tied back into a loose bun, with the exception of hairs which framed her face in messy curls. The kunoichi leaned over the bed, placing the slim straps of her black suede pumps through their rightful buckles. Her heavy-winged eyes briefly fluttered over Kakashi's confused ones when she stood to face the door, though her glossy lips spoke nothing to him. The smell of her perfume burned into Kakashi's nose and it clung to his mask, allowing him to taste it on his lips as he licked them. The taste made his eyes water as it stung his mouth. He figured he deserved as much.

"One minute! I'll be right there!" Sakura scooted around the bed and grabbed her purse. She knew her sweet tone sounded forced and honestly it was. Why was she doing this? She only had one reason and that was to recover from the humiliation Kakashi put her through last night. Sakura knew she at least deserved this. She also felt the wave of pride lap at her insides as Kakashi's eyes clung to her and his legs shifted uncomfortably to attempt to mask his intense gaze.

In the later hours of the night she sat awake next to her inebriated ex-sensei, a smile ghosted her swollen lips as her decision was made. What kind of woman had she become if she was going to give up? She no longer was the passive love struck twelve year old who accepted no's and regarded them as absolute. If Kakashi really believed their exchange was a mistake, Sakura would surely make him change his mind.

As her hand twisted the cold metal handle it was clear Kakashi was now out of bed and a few steps behind her, his intent most likely along the lines of showering her with questions she didn't want to answer. To her relief, Kakashi realized what was happening as soon as she cracked the door and angled her body between his view and the object on the other side. His fists clenched and his jaw set. Kakashi had to admit he felt silly when his chest instinctively puffed out and his shoulders squared off.

"Kankuro! Sorry I took so long…" her voice flowed into the hall like silk and her eyes slowly shifted in Kakashi's direction before she stepped forward to embrace the shocked Suna shinobi.

The door swung shut before Kakashi could read the pink lips that whispered into the brunette boy's ear.

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The bar in Suna was crowded since it was attached to the hotel, so many of the tourists who stayed there flocked into the dim business to mingle with other tourists or possibly any locals who wandered in. Kankuro said he knew the bartender and they were immediately seated at the stained wooden counter, its top just as sticky as the barstools beneath it. The beer he bought her was tepid but she wasn't going to complain, considering she didn't pay for it.

Casual conversation led to dancing which ultimately lead to a personal exchange outside of the men's bathroom. As his hands ghosted up her thighs and his mouth burned a path down her pale neck, Sakura could only feel bored as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and tried her best to fake a pleasurable moan. It sounded cliché but this was nothing like she experienced last night with Kakashi and she didn't expect it to be either. The ringing that had started in her ears only grew louder when Kankuro began to speak but she found if she focused hard enough it was possible to faintly make out the slurs coming from her companion's mouth. She was disappointed to find that the noises were nothing more than shallow compliments she assumed he'd been saying to girls since he was sixteen. Sadly Sakura was twenty and "I'm so hard for you" just didn't do it for her anymore. His jean covered knee had wedged itself between her thighs and was making a half-assed attempt at rubbing her core.

A gentle hand with a green glow pressed itself flat against Kankuro's damp forehead. Sakura had learned the technique to use against rowdy patients who would try their hardest to swat her glowing hands as they approached. Chakra was pushed through his system as she forced his body into a false slumber. Her watch told her he would be walking within the next three hours.

His body was found slumped against the bar at closing.

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Of course she felt guilty for leaving Kankuro like that but as she walked home the guilt grinded itself flat into the sharp blade of annoyance, stabbing at her sides with every sway of her hips. What was the point, she couldn't remember. Something about showing that big idiot with the silver hair that she was worth a shot. Right. In retrospect her plan was successful considering the drool Kakashi had dampening his mask as she left, which was actually the reaction she was hoping for. On the opposite side of the coin, going out with Kankuro theoretically should have worked as a stress relief; however it just packed a little more on to her infinitesimally growing pile of things to worry about. She would write him a formal letter apologizing the next day if she ever felt like getting around to it. She kind of hoped she wouldn't.

The air that flowed in the Suna streets was stale and stung her nose as it made its way into her lungs. Maybe Kakashi would be gone by the time she made her way back into the room. She knew that was a lie as her heels clicked along the tile floors heading to elevator. She sensed his chakra and it sent a tingle down the back of her neck as she ascended but his chakra wasn't the only one that pricked her skin. The light above the elevator door flickered and ringing accompanied the entrance of a man, specifically a ninja. Though he was attempting to hide it with a thick brown coat and unsuspecting slacks, his chakra pleaded himself guilty. A shuffling sound pulled her head around and pushed her stance to brace for impact though of course there came none.

"Wha-"

"Excuse me ma'am, this is my floor. Can I just…get passed…y-"

"Oh yeah, Sorry…" her own feet backed her against the elevator wall to allow the man his exit but her body didn't lax. Something was off about that man, which of course made sense since in the ninja world a ninja in hiding was immediately suspicious for a few reasons. If he was a nin from Suna, why would he be disguised? It was also possible that the ninja in the cloak was not from Suna and in hiding; another reason for immediate suspicion.

The door finally opened on her floor and the pink haired kunoichi strode out and with every step forced herself to cram the images of the man from the elevator, Kankuro and this whole night to the farthest corners of her mind. She needed her shoes off and she needed a shower. This was something she was not willing to debate. To her surprise, she only fumbled with her keys slightly as they made their way into the lock on the room door. She was able to faintly see Kakashi hunched over his book in the small alcove, his eyes scanning her face only briefly before returning to the print he'd read a thousand times before. Does she ever not look stunning? He didn't think he would ever get a break while on this vacation. The gods hated him and he was a sinner. Maybe he should repent or something. He was really unsure since he didn't believe in God and he thought reasonably so. What God would let everything he cared about die? What God would push him to fall for his ex-student? Was he falling for her? Kakashi thought so. In such a short period of time? Maybe.

Insanity was always another explanation.

Kakashi casually waved at her and forced himself to look away from the swollen lips he did not cause. Her response was minimal as she walked directly to the small bathroom on the other end of the suite and quietly closed the door.

A/N: As always, feel free to review and what not, even though this chapter bites big time.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**

Hello again! So, as always, I have a few things to say before we get to the chapter. First this chapter is definitely longer than the other ones and I'm not sorry for that because you guys deserve a longer chapter since I've been so horrible to you all recently with half-assed updates. According to the plans I have mapped out for this story it looks like there will be nine chapters in total, so after this about four more! When it's finished I'll probably go back and fix all the spelling/grammar errors I keep catching in some of the previous chapters (it's literally the most frustrating thing ever...). I'm sorry this chapter took a while to get out and I'm going to be honest, I had like no motivation to write. Some days I would open Word, stare at where I left off, then just exit out of it. But this fic is still alive and I intend to finish it! Ok...I think that's everything I wanted to say, so please enjoy the chapter and you can bet your ass you'll see me at the end of this chapter begging for reviews!

naruto belongs to kishimoto

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If Kakashi wouldn't speak, neither would she, Sakura thought as she slipped into an old baseball tee and loose cotton shorts. Her shower had been exactly what she needed for more reasons than to wash away the bar grime that had accumulated on her skin, it gave her time to think of an excuse to just hop into bed and pretend to be asleep until she actually was. Currently she had no interest in talking to Kakashi, which she supposed was odd considering he was al he thought about as of late but she figured she would try to make amends tomorrow when she wasn't so exhausted and utterly annoyed.

Sakura slipped out of the bathroom and padded over to the bed, only to stop short at its foot before climbing on. Under the covers on one side was Kakashi, a lone eye sliding to her face and crinkling as if he was smiling though Sakura knew the eye was of scrutiny and probably trying to gauge her current mood. He watched as Sakura kneeled on the bed and began to crawl to her side but again halted prematurely, this time opening her mouth and closing it again before actually speaking.

"Do you want me to sleep on the floor…or in a chair? I don't want to make you uncomfortable." said Sakura, her tone strictly matter-of-fact. In response Kakashi only folded over the blankets on her side of the bed for her to get in. She was too tired to question or even thank him so she complied, slid under the covers and faced away from Kakashi since he was facing towards her side. If he was trying to be bold or was silently apologize, he would have to try harder because Kakashi was only going to annoy Sakura by beating around the bush.

Hours went by as Kakashi chewed over what he would say to Sakura as she lightly snored next to him. He wanted to say something while she was awake but when he opened his mouth something strange happened to the copy ninja. He was nervous to talk to her. Kakashi knew it was a normal occurrence for most men and an initial step in the process of "dating" but it definitely was not "normal" for Kakashi. Most likely because he had never had interest in a relationship or ever even pondered on the idea of being rejected by a woman, but here he was in Suna lying next to Sakura at 3 am and figuratively shaking in his boots. What if she rejected his apology? What if she was seriously with Kankuro now? What did he even want from Sakura? How would he start?

The questions all jumbled together inside of his skull and bounced off of one other, sometimes forming new questions which made the idea of turning over and dropping the subject more and more tempting as each second passed, but Kakashi knew whatever he was starting to feel for Sakura wouldn't let him sleep if he left their current relationship as is. He was starting to remember why he preferred to avoid powerful emotions whenever possible.

"…Sakura…" his response was a low groan and swift kick to his shin.

He propped himself up onto his elbow and loomed over the sleeping girl. He could see her eyes moving under her lids when he used a calloused finger to trace the edges of the indigo seal on her forehead. The small rhombus filled him with an emotion he couldn't simply ignore and shove back into his core, he was so proud of Sakura and this seal proved her strength. Where he failed in helping her grow, she had picked up his slack and carried it herself.

"Sakura…..wake up…hey…" pools of emerald slowly filled his vision when Sakura opened her eyes. Satisfied, Kakashi flopped onto his back and urged her to do the same by tugging on her sleeve much like a child.

"Kaka…shi? Is everything okay?" her worried tone could only make him smile and he was thankful since it also calmed his nerves a little.

"Well…yes everything is okay seeing as we're not in any sort of danger but everything's not okay with us." Beside him Sakura visibly stiffened and her mouth pressed into a line as her eyes burned holes into the ceiling.

"I want to..uh, apologize for what happened last night….it's not that…I don't…that I'm not," Kakashi huffed and pulled a hand from beneath the covers to run it through his hair "…attracted to you. I just don't think..or didn't..I'm still not sure…that anything between us is a good idea for a few reasons. One being that I was your teacher when you were twelve and your superior up until recently and two being you deserve someone who can take care of you and give you what you want and be there for you whenever you need them. God knows I care about you…so I don't want you stuck with some old man who spends his livings days in a cemetery. I d-"

"Stop." Sakura's sharp voice cut through the room and Kakashi could have sworn he felt her strength behind the word pierce his skin.

"First of all, I kissed you first yesterday. I knew what I was getting into and what I wanted. I know who you are and what you do seeing as I've spent years around you on missions and I grew up around you. I know what you've done too. I know your kills while in anbu rises clear above 800 which is still the current record, by the way. I know you have a tendency to keep your personal beliefs and feelings locked away and I know you don't truly believe what you're saying." Her tone softened at her last words and her head turned to meet eyes that have been long staring at the side of her face.

"I'm not a little girl anymore who needs protecting or to be waited on. As I said, you do still hold the top spot for kills in anbu, but I hold second. We both know these aren't records to be proud of but if you're worried that I need someone who will always be there or someone who can protect me, you're wrong. I can easily do that myself." Sakura's slim hand slid under the covers and laced its fingers with Kakashi's stiff ones. Sakura rolled onto her side to face Kakashi and scooted until their faces were close enough to feel their exhales mix together and brush against each other's faces.

"Do you think about me like that?" she said, her voice now a whisper, assuming he understood "that" meant more than just a simple word.

Kakashi nodded and finally gripped her hand back as his body relaxed, his forehead sliding forwards to rest against Sakura's.

"Then it's okay right?" a long pause hung in the air before Kakashi finally half shrugged half nodded. Sakura sighed and figured the nod was the answer and the shrug was a natural self-defense move to portray his lingering uncertainty.

"This is still kind of odd for me too…this is only our second night here and the first time we've been around each other for more than thirty minutes in a year…and we've gotten ourselves into something foolish like this. I just…forgot how alike we are and how comforting your presence feels. I know I don't need protecting but you make me feel safe and maybe that's because you essentially kept me alive on team seven…always saving my ass while Naruto and Sasuke took care of their own. Or maybe because you're strong...and in a lot of ways…even though you think you're crippled by some fault from your childhood that you continually hang over your own head. I feel good around you Kakashi…which has been hard lately…to feel good I mean. Since the war and my accident in anbu everything just seems to move around me and I get lost in the whirlwind of other people's emotions, but when I look at you, the whirlwind stops and everything is clear and I can feel. I've kind of felt this on our other small missions together too, even though we've simply entertained small talk and jokes. I guess it's all just coming full circle now." Sakura tested the effects of her confession by pressing a light kiss to Kakashi's covered lips. It was too quick to feel a response but she saw in his gray eyes that it was okay.

Suddenly Kakashi realized that Sakura's importance to him was no longer just that of a team mate or comrade, but shifting into something of a lover. Needless to say this only increased his fear and worries, many of which now circled around losing her. Under the covers Kakashi's hand that was joined with Sakura's began to dimly glow a pale blue, quietly sending a pulse of his own chakra into her system. Though she probably felt his chakra flare in his hand he prayed that she was too distracted and tired to feel the tiny threads of his chakra that he was winding around some of her own pathways, much like a coil. These threads would allow him to feel her presence as a second nature to him, in a way it worked like an internal tracker. For example, from miles away he can tell which way she is walking and pinpoint her location, also since his chakra was coiled around her own, Kakashi can tell when her flow becomes weaker or nonexistent.

When the pathways were secured he ceased his assault on her system, now focusing more on the conversation than some safe measure that was probably completely pointless.

"Sometimes it scares me how much you've grown up…in more ways than one. I think it's safe to tell you now that you always were my favorite." Kakashi only earned an eye roll and a small pinch on the arm from the woman next to him.

Several minutes went by and the two of them said nothing and only listened to their soft breathing which soon evened out, signaling they had fallen asleep.

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The next morning Kakashi awoke with a small Sakura curled against his side and his hand splayed across her hip. The urge to jerk away as if he was burned was initially so strong that he began to panic in that internal "oh shit" type of way. Apparently Sakura sensed this and dug her nails into the arm she was snuggling against, using the pain to snap him out of whatever torrent of thoughts were rushing through his mind. Kakashi relaxed as he remembered their conversation the night before and even began to trace small patterns on Sakura's flat stomach, humming absentmindedly.

"We should probably get up…" Sakura mumbled with a yawn. Kakashi only continued to hum and move his hand, as if he never even heard her. They were on vacation, why would they want to leave the bed? The idea didn't make any sense to him.

"Ok then, how about we go out for breakfast?" Her question was answered by a lower hum and a raised silver eyebrow "… I'll pay."

To this Kakashi smiled and sat up in bed, pulling her along with him into a sitting position.

"Well, why didn't you say so before? I just happen to be famished."

Kakashi didn't even try to dodge the playful slap to his shoulder.

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The small diner was packed but not rowdy. The petite hostess with hair the color of peaches quickly showed them to a small table in the far corner of the establishment, the only other patrons near them were a group of roughly five or six men seated at a circular table adjacent to their own, all huddled over their menus. None of them particularly stuck out to Kakashi except for maybe one man who seemed to be focused on Sakura as if she was the only person in the diner. Now Kakashi couldn't blame him, but he could tell the stare of the man in the thick brown coat and unsuspecting slacks wasn't anything close to innocent affection. Kakashi was also suspicious of the chakra emanating from that man. It was thick and evil, almost making it feel like it was hard to breathe if he focused on it for too long.

When they were seated Kakashi couldn't help but notice Sakura's foot tapping the old white tile, its tempo mirroring her anxiety. He knew she sensed it too; the overwhelming chakra and the man's greedy eyes drinking in the sight of her as she quickly scanned the menu. For now the man wasn't a threat but it didn't mean they could let down their guards for a second.

"You can feel it too right?" Sakura whispered behind her menu "That man isn't a civilian and he keeps looking over here and I swear I've seen him before…Do you think he knows we're shinobi?"

Kakashi silently closed his menu and set it on the edge of the table for the waiter to take when they came; now that his hands were free, his fingers drummed on the table as let his gaze rest upon the woman seated across from him.

"Much like we can tell from his chakra that's he's a shinobi, it's likely the reverse is true. It's also likely that he's sitting at his table scrutinizing us the same as we're doing to him. On top of th-"

"Hi! My name is Pepe and I'll be serving you today! Are you ready to order?" A woman with almost fluorescent yellow eyes smiled widely at them, oblivious to the fact that interrupted to two very paranoid shinobi.

"I'll just have a rolled omelet and some Miso soup" Sakura gently handed her menu to Pepe and sipped on her glass of water.

"I'll have the same, thanks"

The waitress left with their menus but the conversation did not pick up where it left off as the subject of their discussion had left while they were being distracted by Pepe. The table was now filled with a group of girls who appeared to be in their late teens, all giggling while showing off the items they purchased that day while shopping. One girl held up a pink stop Sakura absolutely adored, but it was what she said that was much more concerning than how much she paid for the clothing.

"Ami-chan, doesn't this look like the shirt that girl who got abducted was wearing on the news?" her question was voiced in an innocent tone and Sakura couldn't help but feel as if she was mocking what sounded like something horrible. The table had suddenly grown quiet and everyone's attention was focused on the girl who had spoken last.

"What girl Hori?" another girl asked. She no longer sounded as if she was giggly and bursting with joy but instead quite concerned.

Hori then stuffed her shirt back into its bag and leaned forward on the elbows she had neatly folded on the table. Her glossy pink lips were pulled down in a frown but her eyes remained bright as she scanned her friends.

"You guys didn't hear? Apparently some creep has been targeting pretty girls and abducting them! That's not even the worst part though because after he abducts them, he makes them walk into really public places strapped with bombs! Live ones! Then, not long after the girl is in the location, BOOM! He sets them off!" Hori's fingers wiggled and drifted downwards as she used them to portray a bomb exploding.

"Those poor girls!" the other girls chorused, some clasping their hands and leaning their heads together.

"Hey, Kakashi…" Sakura tapped he back of Kakashi's glove as he shuffled around the pieces of his omelet on his plate "…should we do something about that? I mean I know we can't go hunt the guy down with no leads, but shouldn't we tell Tsunade?"

"I'm sure this is something she already knows about and if not what can we tell her? The only description we have of this guy is he's a "creep". To be quite frank I think we're better off leaving the investigation in the hands of the villages that have been affected first hand by the bombings." Like Sakura, Kakashi wished he could find this man and beat him into oblivion. Kakashi was no saint but his violent acts did not occur at random or on a whim. Kakashi killed to save others and that alone was enough to satisfy his demons for a while.

Silence settled between the two as Sakura finished her food and Kakashi idly thumbed through his book, glancing every so often at Sakura to make sure she hadn't choked and died right in front of him. Or leave him there to foot the bill, which was the main reason for his quick stares. Sakura wasn't oblivious to his looks and she wanted to come right out and tell him she offered to pay and she intended to keep up her end of the deal but she wasn't opposed to being stared at by her ex-sensei either so there really was no harm. After their conversation last night, the kunochi had only grown to admire him more. Not because of the way the light coming through the window illumined his dark eyes or the way he had smiled at her multiple times today, his expression seemed to silently tell her "these warm smiles are reserved only for you" and "I'm glad I'm here with you" or because he had even dared to pull down his mask and press a soft kiss to her mouth before they exited their room this morning. She admired him more now because he wasn't hiding from what happened between them but was working to turn it into something. Kakashi going out of his way in the middle of the night and waking her up just to apologize while looking like a sad puppy was enough proof for Sakura.

When Pepe skipped over and set the bill on the table, Sakura smiled at Kakashi and snatched it before setting the proper amount plus money for a tip onto the table. It was early afternoon by now and the heat in Suna had the backs Sakura's legs sticking to the her seat as she tried to scoot out of it and not to her surprise her hair was already sticking to the back of her neck. Even so she's been in worse situations, so Sakura simply threw her hair into a bun and walked to meet Kakashi outside.

"How about some souvenirs? I'm sure Naruto and Sai would just absolutely love a special gift picked out by their very own Sakura." Kakashi batted his exposed lashes and gave her a pouty look, knowing very well Sakura had a bad habit of spoiling her teammates.

He merely shrugged when Sakura punched his shoulder with a groan.

"You know what? Fine. And guess what? I'm dragging you along with me." As if on cue Sakura snatched Kakashi's elbow and began to pull him to a small store whose sign was visible from a block away

"Let's go!"

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"See that wasn't so bad!" said Sakura as she set her bags down on their bed, reaching her hand in to pull out what she had bought "Naruto gets the frog keychain and Sai gets the moleskine notebook!"

The eye crease smile Kakashi gave her was clearly sarcastic and he even added an exaggerated "wow you're the best" under his breath.

"Ow! Sakura did you leave all of these drawers open? I think just broke my leg walking into one of them…" Kakashi dramatically hobbled over to Sakura and sat next to her, placing his "injured" leg in her lap. The look he was giving her practically screamed "spoil me with affection" and so she did. With his pant leg not rolled up Sakura hummed and began to knead at Kakashi's calf, watching as his face relaxed into something Sakura could only describe as beautiful.

But Sakura could not shake the anxiety she harbored that morning at the diner.

_I swore those drawers were closed when we left… _she thought.

She was probably getting worked up over nothing though.

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**A/N:** As always, please feel free to leave a review! I read them all and they actually mean a lot to me and motivate me to write! Thank you!


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